Pivoted shoe fence combination lock



May 27, 1958 A. PAPINl PIVOTED SHOE FENCE COMBINATION LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 16, 1956 b D h Q o N wm a 9w 5 Q Q m G\ mw w mh w w m mm hm INVENTOR mvrflalvr pap/1w ATTORNEY y 1953 A. PAPiNl PIVOTED SHOE. FENCE COMBINATION LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1e, 195a mimzt DmE INVENTOR INTI- ON) PAP/NI Y ATTORNEY I 1 I I United States Patent PIVOTED SHOE FENCE COMBINATION LOCK Anthony Papini, Ridgefield, N. J. Application May 16, 1956, Serial No. 585,272

4 Claims. c1. 70-133 This invention relates to permutation or combination locks and more particularly to improved fences and associated mechanisms therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a simplified fence mechanism that will produce no indication of tumbler-gate positions except at bolt retracting position.

Another object is to provide a simplified fence mechanism which may be used with conventional lock cases and tumbler systems with a minimum of alteration of stock parts.

Still another object is to provide a fence which cooperates with the lock tumblers to throw the lock bolt to locked position by turning the lock dial.

Yet another object is to provide a fence mechanism to automatically retract the bolt when the proper combination of tumbler positions is attained.

The attainment of these and other objects is reached in connection with a combination lock having a plurality of tumblers having alinable gates upon which tumblers a fence in the form of a pivoted shoe normally engages, said fence having an engagement distance with the turnblers greater than the width of the gates. When the gates are alined, the fence pivots on an axis parallel with that of the tumblers, and on the alined edges of the tumblers, to permit a side of the fence shoe to enter the gates. The entry of the fence into the gates allows the bolt to be drawn.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of many possible embodiments of the invenlion,

Fig. l is a rear view of one form of the lock, parts having been removed to show the interior;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental rear view showing the tumblers with gates almost alined with the shoe almost ready to enter therein;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the shoe fence engaging on the periphery of a tumbler and spanning the gate therein;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the shoe and a member for controlling the position of the bolt;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the fence shoe;

Figs. 6' and 6a are, respectively, side and bottom views of a post for mounting the parts of Fig. 4; s

Fig. 7 is a plan of the parts of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the fence shoe;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the lock the section being taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows of said line;

Fig. 10 is aview similar to that of Fig. 1 showing another form of the invention with the bolt in thrownposition;

Fig. 11 shows the view of Fig. 10 with the bolt in drawn position;

Fig. 12 shows the position of the shoe of Fig. 10 when the bolt is in locked position;

Fig. 13 shows a plan of parts in Fig. 12;

7 Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are, respectively, end, side and bottom views of the shoe of Fig. 10, and

2,836,049 Patented May 27, 1958 "ice post 18 having a cylindrical bore 19 is force-fitted in the hole and projects into the interior of the case and is provided with a shoulder part 17 at its outer end. A spindle 2% is rotatably disposed in the bore of the tube coaxial therewith, the outer end portion of the spindle being provided with a dial 21 and operating knob 22.

A plurality of driven disk-shaped tumblers 24 having central bearing holes therethrough are disposed on the tubular post and rotatable thereabout. The driven tumblers are of conventional type and are not described or shown in detail. The tumblers are ultimately driven by a substantially disk-shaped cam tumbler 25 secured fast, as by threads 26 and a key 27, on the inner end portion 23 of the spindle concentric therewith over the inner end of the post. The cam 25 and drivenv tumblers 24 are circular and of the same diameter and have alinable gates 29 in their respective peripheral portions, each driven tumbler being provided with a circular groove 30 in the rear face thereof and open toward the cam, and with a projection 32 in each groove projected toward the cam. The carrier 31 on the front face of the cam, and of each tumbler, save the frontmost, projects into the groove of the adjacent tumbler for engaging the projection of the adjacent tumbler so that the tumblers may be successively set to aline their gates.

Spacers are disposed about the, post between the cam and the tumbler, and between successive tumblers and a washer between the frontmost tumbler and the wall 15.

The case end wall 14 is provided with a bolt opening 35. The front wall 15 is provided with interior and exterior bosses 36 and 38 generally between said spindle and bolt opening, having a round hole 39 through the bosses and the wall substantially axially parallel with the spindle. A fence post 48 in the hole 39 is provided with an inner slotted flanged head 41, a medial cylindrical bearing portion 42, an axially offset cylindrical portion 44 toward the outer end, and an outstanding flange 45 intermediate the bearing portion and the offset portion, said ofiset portion being disposed in the round hole 39 and provided with post threads 46 at the outer end thereof for engaging a nut 48 engaging the outer boss 38 for mounting the fence post on the case. A pin 49 in the boss 38 and fence post prevents rotation thereof from a set position.

A generally L-shaped fence body 56 having a hub part 51 in the corner portion thereof is mounted with the hub part on the bearing portion 42 of the fence post for oscillation about the fence post.

One arm 52, sometimes called a rear arm, of the fence body normally projects toward the spindle and is provided with a pivot bore 54 axially parallel with the spindle and fence post, the other arm 55 of the fence body having a bolt-engagement lug 56 having a slot 58 in a plane transverse to the fence post axis. A torsional spring 59 about the fence post head and having an end thereon (fast on the slotted head) and another end in the slot 58 is provided for biasing the fence body to turn about the fence post. A shoe 6!) carried by the arm 52 is asso-' ciated with said tumblers and cam and normally engages all of same at the peripheries thereof. The engagement surface of the shoe extends sufficiently with respect to the gate width so that the shoe may span the gate while engaging the peripheral portions of the tumbler on opposite sides of the gate simultaneously (see Fig. 3). The

has spaced end ears 64 provided with coaxial bearing openings 65. Said one arm 52 is between said ears'and When the shoe 60a rides on the peripheries of the tumblers, as in Fig. 12, it holds the end portion 52a of the link near a case side wall 11a having an internally projecting lug 53a which blocks rearward movement of the link and bolt from projective position. When the gates become alined at the predetermined position shown approximately in Fig. and the cam is turned counterclockwise the shoe edge 61:; turns about the pin 66a and gate nose 75a. This action permits the edge portion 61a to enter the gates and the link end portion 52a to move clear of the lug 53a. Continued counterclockwise motion of the cam a brings the opposite margin 76a of the gate against the shoe portion 61a and retracts the link and bolt to the position shown in Fig. 11. The bolt may be stopped by the rear end of the case. Detent means Zea engageable in a notch 81a in the bolt lightly holds the bolt in retracted position.

The throwing of the bolt 68a is not quite the same as that of bolt 63, since the travel of bolt 68a is much greater than the in-and-out motion of the pin 66a. In order for the nose 75a to bear sufficiently against the shoe 60a the latter is provided with a groove 82a in the arcuate face 554:: of the shoe. I have found it desirable that the forward face 85 of the groove be slightly undercut or dovetailed for better engagement with the nose 75a so that the shoe is not expelled from the gate before the link has advanced to clear the lug 53a.

To insure that the shoe may turn, when entering into gates for unlocking, about the pin 66a, I have found it desirable that the arcuate face rear of the rear groove wall 36a be beveled as at 88a.

The forward edge portion 61a is rounded or beveled, as is rear edge portion 62:: of the shoe and also the edge 39:: at the juncture of the groove front Wall 85a with the arcuate face. By having these edges and the gate noses 75a and 990 (Fig. 12) rounded or beveled, the shoe movement which might otherwise produce a click as a gate passes under may be made so gradual that no indication of the gate position is possible. The forward edge portion may be provided with a hump 91a (Fig. 17) to permit smoother entry and exit of the shoe into and out of the gate.

The shoe oila normally, i. e. when the gates are not in predetermined alined position but a gate is wholly under the shoe, extends across a gate with the extreme outer, or forward and trailing edge portions of the shoe simultaneously engaging the periphery of the tumbler on opposite sides of the gate in question. Any losses of 6 full peripheral use of the tumblers due to the beveled or rounded edges are of little consequence since the invention of Figs. 1016 is contemplated for large locks havin large tumblers, although shoe a may be used in the lock of Figs. 19.

In both forms of the invention conventional tumblers may be used, having conventional refinements such as division marks 92 and means 94 for changing the combination with access holes 95.

The invention claimed is:

l. in a combination lock, an axle member; a plurality of tumbler disks having alinable gates in the peripheral portions thereof and rotatable about the axis of the member; a fence member having a shoe pivoted to turn about an axis parallel with that of the member, the shoe normally engaging all the disks at the peripheral portions thereof for a chordal distance greater than the width of the gates, the gates being wide enough so that, when they are alined, an edge portion of the shoe may turn about the second mentioned axis and enter into the gates when the latter are alined.

2. A lock comprising a case, and a plurality of coaxial tumbler disks mounted therein, the disks having alinable gates in the peripheral portions thereof; a shoe having an arcuate engagement face substantially coaxial with the disks and engaging same over a greater distance than the Width of the gates; said shoe being turnable on the gate marginal portions of the disks to permit a part thereof to enter alined gates; a carrier for the shoe and pivotally mounted for turning about an axis parallel with that of the disks, and biasing means tending to turn the carrier about said axis for urging the shoe against the disk peripheries, and a bolt in operative engagement with the carrier.

3. A lock as claimed in claim 2 the carrier being pivotally mounted on the case.

4. A lock as claimed in claim 2 the carrier being pivotally mounted on the bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 117,478 Stockwell July 25, 1871 299,695 Stockwell June 3, 1884 821,548 Streeter et a1 May 22, 1906 1,847,071 Doenges Mar. 1, 1932 1,863,537 Aster June 14, 1932 2,792,703 Murray May 21, 1957 

